Latest GK Question Answer January 2025

 

1. What significant financial operation did the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conduct on February 1, 2025?

   • Answer: The RBI executed a dollar-rupee buy/sell swap transaction worth $5 billion to inject liquidity into the Indian financial system.
     

2. Which country recently withdrew from China's Belt and Road Initiative?

   • Answer: Panama officially withdrew from China's Belt and Road Initiative, deciding not to renew the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding with China.
     
     

3. What is Indian Railways' target under the 'Mission 3000' plan?

   • Answer: Indian Railways aims to achieve a cargo volume of 3,000 million tonnes by 2030 under the 'Mission 3000' initiative.
     
     

4. Which Indian state recently conducted a comprehensive socio-economic survey revealing demographic structures?

   • Answer: Telangana conducted a socio-economic survey over 50 days, reaching over 35 million individuals, revealing vital information about the state's demographic structure.
     
     

5. What recent seismic activity has raised concerns in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand?

   • Answer: A series of nine minor earthquakes occurred between January 24 and February 3, 2025, in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, prompting concerns among experts and residents.
     
     

6. What recent advancement has been made in clean energy technology concerning hydrogen production?

   • Answer: Advancements in clean energy technology have highlighted the potential of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) for hydrogen production, reducing reliance on precious metals like platinum.
     
     

7. What recent development has occurred in UK-EU relations post-Brexit?

   • Answer: UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been reshaping the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, with a recent visit to Brussels marking the first time a British prime minister has engaged with EU leaders post-Brexit.
     
     

8. What recent environmental concern has been reported in Kolkata?

   • Answer: Over ten buildings in Kolkata have been reported to be tilting, highlighting issues in construction practices and urban planning.
     
     

9. What is the 'National Critical Mineral Mission' recently approved by the Union Cabinet?

   • Answer: The 'National Critical Mineral Mission' (NCMM) aims to build a robust supply chain for critical minerals essential for sustainable economic growth and national security.
     
     

10. Which ministry won the Best Tableau award in the 76th Republic Day Parade 2025?

    • Answer: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs won the Best Tableau award in the 76th Republic Day Parade 2025.
      
      

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Daily GK Update 23rd and 24th April, 2017

National Panchayati Raj Diwas being observed today

i. Every year April 24 is being observed as National Panchayati Raj Diwas across India. This day marks the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993.
ii. The Kuther Gram Panchayat of Himachal Pradesh will get the award for its best works. This Gram Panchayat was the first to become open defecation free (ODF).

World Book & Copyright Day being observed today

i. World Book and Copyright Day (WBCD) is being observed on 23rd April 2017. The day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of reading and promote publishing and the protection of copyright around the globe.
ii. The event is organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
iii. Conakry, the capital of Guinea has been designated World Book Capital 2017.

Haryana launches mobile app 'Kilkari' to create awareness among pregnant women

i. The National Health Mission (NHM) in Haryana launched a mobile-based application named 'Kilkari' to create awareness among pregnant women, parents and health workers on the importance of ante and post natal care.
ii. From the second trimester of pregnancy, till the child is one-year-old, the application will deliver 72 times appropriate audio messages to registered mobile numbers on pregnancy, child and childbirth care every week.

Maharashtra govt signs MoU with Railways to expand green cover

i. In a bid to expand the green cover, the Maharashtra government recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Railways, under which trees will be planted on the land adjacent to the railway tracks in the state.

China, Iran sign first agreement on reconfiguration of Arak reactor

i. China and Iran have signed the first agreement on the reconfiguration of Iran's Arak reactor.
ii. The deal was concluded between the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and a Chinese company at the official ceremony in the Austrian capital Vienna.

Moushumi Chatterjee gets BFJA lifetime achievement award

i. Veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee has received the lifetime achievement award, at the 80th Bengal Film Journalists' Association (BFJA) awards.
ii. The BFJA, the oldest association of film scribes in the country was founded in 1937. Bengali film actor Prosenjit Chatterjee was given the best actor award for his role in "Sankhachil", while Rituparna Sengupta was given the best actress crown for her role in "Rajkahini" along with Paoli Dam for "Natoker Moto" (2015).

'Newton' wins best film honor at Hong Kong International Film Festival

i. Bollywood film "Newton" has won the best film honor at the Hong Kong International Film Festival. The lead actor of the film is Raj Kumar Rao.
ii. Amit Masurkar-directed "Newton", is a political satire. It had its world premiere at the 67th Berlin Film Festival where it won the International Federation of Art Cinemas (CICAE) award in its Forum segment.

Aditi Ashok, SSP Chawrasia win Golf Industry Awards
i. SSP Chawrasia and Aditi Ashok were among the winners at the second Golf Industry Association (GIA) Awards 2017. Aditi, who finished second in the Ladies European Tour (LET) order of merit in 2016 bagged Outstanding Achievement as a Player award.
ii. Chawrasia, who successfully defended his Indian Open title in 2017, bagged the Award for the Men's Player of the Year. 
iii. Ali Sher, the Delhi Golf Club caddy-turned-pro-golfer, was feted for an Outstanding Playing Career. Ali Sher won the Indian Open back in 1991 and was honored with an Arjuna Award in the same year.

Cricket removed from 2018 Asian Games programme

i. One of the sports to miss out from the programme list of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang is cricket.
ii. Apart from cricket, skateboarding, sambo and surfing are among the other sports which have been removed from the programme in order to reduce the burden on Indonesian organisers.
iii. This measure was taken as a part of the series of changes aimed at reducing the total number of events from 493 to 431.

Monte Carlo Masters: Nadal wins Men's Singles; Bopanna and Cuevas lift men's doubles

i. Rafael Nadal has won the Men's Singles title of Monte Carlo Masters Tennis tournament 2017. He defeated Albert Vinolas at a summit clash in Monaco. With this Rafael claimed a record 10th Monte Carlo Masters title.
ii. Earlier, India's Rohan Bopanna and his Uruguayan partner Pablo Cuevas lifted the men's doubles crown at the Monte Carlo Masters after win over Spain's Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez in Monaco.

Important Takeaways from above GK Update are as follows

• National Panchayati Raj Diwas is observed on 24 April Nationally
• Kuther Gram Panchayat of Himachal PradeshGram Panchayat was the first to become open defecation free (ODF)
• This day marks the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992
• 23 April is a symbolic date for world literature.
• World Book and Copyright Day (WBCD) is being observed every year on 23rd April.
• World Book and Copyright Day is organized by the UNESCO. 
• UNESCO stands for- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
• Irina Bokova is Director-General of UNESCO.
• World Book Capital for 2017: Conakry, Guinea.
• UNESCO Headquarters is in Paris, France.
• The Constitution of UNESCO, signed on 16 November 1945, came into force on 4 November 1946.
• National Health Mission (NHM) in Haryana launched a mobile-based application named 'Kilkari'
• Manohar Lal Khattar is the CM of Haryana
• Kaptan Singh Solanki is the governor of Haryana
• Maharashtra govt signed an MoU with Railways to expand green cover
• C. Vidyasagar Rao is the governor of Maharashtra
• Devendra Fadnavis is the CM of Maharashtra
• China and Iran signed the first agreement on reconfiguration of Arak reactor
• The agreement was signed officially in Vienna, the Capital City of Austria
• President of Iran is Hussan Rouhani and its currency is Iranian Rial.
• Xi Jinping is President of China and its currency is Renminbi
• Moushumi Chatterjee receives BFJA lifetime achievement award 2017
• Prosenjit Chatterjee was given the best actor award for "Sankhachil"
• Rituparna Sengupta was given the best actress crown for her role in "Rajkahini".
• "Newton" has won the best film honor at the Hong Kong International Film Festival
• Amit Masurkar is the director of movie "Newton"
• It also won the International Federation of Art Cinemas (CICAE) award at the 67th Berlin Film Festival.
• Aditi Ashok, SSP Chawrasia and Ali Sher won Golf Industry Awards 2017
• Ali Sher was honored with Arjuna Award in 1991
• Cricket removed from 2018 Asian Games programme
• Director General of Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is Husain Al-Musallam
• The total number of events has been reduced from 493 to 431
• The 2018 Asian Games will be held in Jakarta and Palembang
• It is 18th edition of Asian Games
• Nadal wins Men's Singles title at Monte Carlo Masters Tennis tournament 2017
• India's Rohan Bopanna and Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas lifted the men's doubles crown
• The tournament was held in Monaco
• Rafael Nadal defeated Albert Vinolas

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Daily GK Update 21st April, 2017

Ap1th Civil Services Day function held in New Dkelhi

i. The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the twApro-day 11th Civil Services Day program (20-21 April) in New Delhi.
ii. Civil Services Day is celebrated in India every year on 21st April. The function was organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.

Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh inaugurated 'India Steel 2017' in Mumbai

i. The 3rd edition of International Conference and Exhi?ñ???kbition on Steel Indlustry 'India Steel 2017' was held at Mumbai Exhibition center in Mumbai from 19th-21st Apri 2017.
ii. It was inaugurated by Union 

Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh. First of its Kind exhibition-cum-conference was organized by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCO) along with Union Ministry of Steel.

Narendra Modi, Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma in Time’s ‘most influential people’ list

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma were the only two Indians to make it to an annual list of ‘100 most influential people in the world’ 2017, released by the Time magazine.
ii. The list features pioneers, artists, titans, leaders and icons from around the world honored for “the power of their inventions, the scale of their ambitions, the genius of their solutions to problems that no one before them could solve.”

Tata Power inks pact for electricity distribution in Ajmer

i. Tata Power has signed an agreement with Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (AVVNL) for electricity distribution in Ajmer for 20 years.
ii. Tata Power has formed a Special Purpose Company (SPC), TP Ajmer Distribution Ltd. The SPC will be operating and maintaining the distribution network in the Ajmer city and would also be responsible for managing the billing and collections.

Sri Lanka to host the 14th Edition of United Nations International Day of Vesak 2017

i. The 14th Edition of United Nations International Day of Vesak 2017 will be hosted by Sri Lanka from 12-14 May 2017.
ii. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest for UN Vesak Day. He will inaugurate UN Vesak Day in Colombo on May 12, 2017.
iii. Vesak Day is regarded by all Buddhist traditions as the anniversary of the birth of the Buddha.
iv. The theme of this edition is ‘Buddhist teachings for social justice and sustainable world peace’.

Italian mayor wins UNESCO Peace Prize

i. The United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) has awarded its Peace Prize to Giuseppina Nicolini, the mayor of the Italian island of Lampedusa, for her commitment to saving the lives of migrants and refugees, media reported.

Reliance Industries Ltd. become most-valued Indian company

i. The Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) regained its status as India’s most valued firm by market capitalization.
ii. RIL overtook Tata Group’s crown jewel TCS. TCS had replaced RIL as the most valued firm more than four years ago.

Mongolia launched its first satellite Mongol Sat-I

i. Mongolia launched its first satellite named Mongol Sat-I, part of its efforts to make use of new technology to diversify its resource-dependent economy.
ii. It is 1227 Megahertz satellite. The satellite was launched in partnership with Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS). The Satellite helps with space research, map making and preparing for natural disaster.

Video gaming to be featured at 2022 Asian Games
i. Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has announced Video gaming as full sports at the 2022 Asian Games which is scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China from 10-25 September 2022.
ii. OCA has entered into the collaboration with Alisports, a unit of China's Alibaba Group.
iii. It will also be a demonstration sport at the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang, Indonesia.


Important Takeaways from above GK Update are as follows:

• Civil Services Day is celebrated in India every year on 21st April
• Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the two-day 11th Civil Services Day program in New Delhi
• First such function was held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 21 April 2006
• 3rd edition of International Conference and Exhibition on Steel Industry 'India Steel 2017' was held in Mumbai
• It was inaugurated by Union Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh
• It was organized by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCO)
• Narendra Modi and Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma were the only two Indians listed in ‘100 most influential people in the world’ 2017, by the Time magazine
• The profile of Modi was written by author Pankaj Mishra
• The profile of Vijay Shekhar Sharma was written by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani
• Tata Power has signed an agreement for electricity distribution in Ajmer for 20 years
• Tata Power has formed a Special Purpose Company (SPC), TP Ajmer Distribution Ltd
• Anil Kumar Sardana is the CEO of Tata Power
• Sri Lanka will host the 14th Edition of United Nations International Day of Vesak 2017
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest for UN Vesak Day
• The theme of this edition is ‘Buddhist teachings for social justice and sustainable world peace’
• Vesak Day is also known as Buddha Poornima.
• The UNESCO has awarded its Peace Prize to Giuseppina Nicolini
• The United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) was founded on 16 November 1945
• UNESCO has 195 Members and eight Associate Members
• IRINA BOKOVA is the Director-General of UNESCO
• UNESCO is Headquartered in Paris, France
• Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) become most-valued Indian company
• It has replaced Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
• RIL is led by Mukesh Ambani
• Mongolia has launched its first satellite named Mongol Sat-I
• The satellite was launched in partnership with Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS)
• Capital of Mongolia is Ulaanbaatar and its currency is Mongolian togrog
• Video gaming is full sports at the 2022 Asian Games
• 2022 Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, China from 10-25 September
• The first Asian games was held in 1951 in New Delhi
• 2018 Asian games will be held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia

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Daily GK Update 20th April, 2017

Madhya Pradesh government, DMRC inked pact to supply power from Rewa project

i. Madhya Pradesh government has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to supply 24 per cent of electricity generated from the Rewa ultra mega solar project to be set up in the state.
ii. The rest of the power will be supplied to the state.

World economy to grow at 3.5 per cent in 2017: IMF

i. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected a marginally higher than expected growth for the world economy at 3.5 per cent in 2017.
ii. IMF projected the world economy to grow at a pace of 3.5 percent in 2017, up from 3.1 percent in 2016, and 3.6 per cent in 2018.

China to host BRICS Film Festival in June, 2017

i. The 2017 BRICS Film Festival will be held in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province from June 23 to 27, 2017.
ii. There will be 30 films from BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) screened during the festival.
iii. The first BRICS Film Festival was held in New Delhi, India, in September 2016. 

First Made in India industrial robot- BRABO

i. TAL Manufacturing Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors has launched India’s first industrial-articulated robot and it goes by the name “BRABO”.
ii. The robot is indigenously developed for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in India. This is the first time that an industrial robot has been conceptualized, designed and manufactured in India.

RBI caps bank exposure to REITs, InvITs at 10%

i. The RBI permitted banks to invest up to 10% of the unit capital of a Real Estate Investment Trust (REITs) or Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs).
ii. The banks’ exposure to REITs/InvITs will be within the overall ceiling of 20% of the net worth permitted for direct investments in shares, convertible bonds/ debentures, units of equity-oriented mutual funds and Venture Capital Funds (VCFs).

'One Part Woman' wins Sahitya Akademi Award for translation of Mathorubhagan

i. The English translation of writer Perumal Murugan’s novel Mathorubhagan (One Part Woman) has won the Sahitya Akademi’s award for translation in English 2016.
ii. The translation was done by Aniruddhan Vasudevan and the book was published by Penguin. 

Sagar Baheti, the first visually impaired Indian runner to complete Boston Marathon

i. Bangalore-based Sagar Baheti has become the first visually impaired Indian runner to complete the historic Boston Marathon, the world's oldest and the hardest marathon to qualify for.
ii. Baheti completed the approximately 42.16 km distance in just over four hours.

Important Takeaways from above GK Update are as follows:

• Madhya Pradesh government and DMRC inked pact to supply power (24% of Electricity) from Rewa project
• Shri Rajiv Gauba is the Chairman of DMRC
• Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the CM of MP and its Governor is Om Prakash Kohli (Additional charge)
• IMF has projected world economy to grow at 3.5% in 2017
• Projection in 2016 was 3.1%
• Created in 1945, the IMF is governed by and accountable to the 189 countries
• Managing Director of IMF is Christine Lagarde
• Maurice Obstfeld, economic counselor and director of IMF Research Department released the projection officially.
• BRICS Film Festival 2017 will be held in China
• BRICS countries includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa
• The first BRICS Film Festival was held in New Delhi, India
• BRICS summit will be held in September 2017 in China’s Xiamen city
• TAL Manufacturing Solutions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors
• BRABO is the first Made in India industrial robot
• The robot is indigenously developed for MSME in India
• The RBI permitted banks to invest up to 10% of the unit capital of an REITs or InvITs
• RBI is headquartered in Mumbai and its Governor is Mr. Urjit Patel
• RBI has recently allowed banks to invest in REITs & InvITs
• The English translation of writer Perumal Murugan’s novel Mathorubhagan won the Sahitya Akademi’s award for translation in English
• The cash prize for the award is Rs 50,000
• Sagar Baheti becomes the first visually impaired Indian runner to complete Boston Marathon
• He completed the approximately 42.16 km distance in just over four hours
• Boston is a City in Massachusetts

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Daily GK Update 18th April, 2017

The International Day for Monuments and Sites: 18th April

i. Every year on 18 April, ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) celebrates the International Day for Monuments and Sites (also called as World Heritage day).
ii. The theme for 2017 is “Cultural Heritage & Sustainable Tourism".


Suresh Prabhu Launched 'Vistadome' Coaches 

i. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu launched India's First Train With Glass Ceiling, LED Lights And Rotable Seats in 'Vistadome' Coaches.
ii. He has flagged off the train with Vistadome coaches between Visakhapatnam and Araku through video conferencing from Rail Sadan in Bhubaneswar.
iii. He Inaugurated the Life Line Express at Sindhudurg, Maharashtra of Konkan Railway.

PM Modi inaugurated Link-II of SAUNI project in Botad, Gujarat

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated phase-I of the Link-II pipeline canal of the ambitious Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) Yojana in Botad district of Gujarat.
ii. This will be the second milestone in the Rs 12,000 crore project to pump Narmada water in 115 dams of arid Saurashtra region after the PM dedicated to public phase-I of the Link-I canal in August 2016.

President inaugurates Kempegowda festival in New Delhi
i. President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Kempegowda Festival in New Delhi.
ii. The festival is organized by the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Foundation.




BHEL commissions 2 units at Maharashtra thermal power project 

i. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has successfully commissioned two units of 270 MW at RattanIndia Nasik Power Ltd's, Maharashtra. 
ii. With the commissioning of these units, BHEL has commissioned eight sets for RattanIndia in Maharashtra in which 3 sets at Nasik and 5 sets at Amravati.

BEML bags Hindustan PSU award
i. Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) a defence public sector has received the Hindustan PSU Award under the category ‘Fastest Growing Organisation – Miniratna’.
ii. Umesh Chandra, Executive Director, received the award on behalf of the company. The award was presented by Nitin Gadkari a Union Minister of State for Road Transport.

PNB launches three new products on foundation day

i. On the occasion of its Foundation Day, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched three new products for its customers.
ii. The three new products are automated electronic toll collection to facilitate hassle-free toll payment/ collection, a credit card mobile App and a scheme for financing a grid connected Roof Solar Power Project.

SBI surpasses ONGC to become most valued PSU stock

State Bank of India (SBI) surpassed oil exploration major Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to become most valued public sector undertaking (PSU) stock in terms of market capitalization (m-cap) in intra-day trade. SBI with m-cap of Rs 239,808 crore was ahead of ONGC having m-cap of Rs 236,003 crore, BSE data showed.



ISRO, BHEL tie-up for lithium-ion batteries 

i. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to help develop low-cost lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.



Philippine President Duterte wins TIME 100 Reader Poll 

i. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has won Time magazine's readers' poll of the 100 most influential people in the world. 
ii. Rodrigo also known as Digong, is a Filipino politician and jurist who is the 16th and current President of the Philippines.

Gayatri Pullela wins twin crown at Pembangunan Jaya Raya Junior Grand Prix

i. National Badminton coach Pullela Gopichand's daughter Gayatri Pullela has bagged both the singles and doubles crown at the Pembangunan Jaya Raya Junior Grand Prix in Jakarta.
ii. Gayatri eked out a hard-fought win over her doubles partner Samiya Farooqui to win the girls U-15 singles title.
iii. She later teamed up with Samiya to clinch the U-15 doubles title with a straight-game 21-17, 21-15 win over Indonesian pair of Kelly Larissa and Shelandry Vyola.

Sebastian Vettel wins Bahrain Grand Prix 2017

i. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) won the Bahrain Grand Prix 2017 by defeating Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).
ii.  It was Sebastian's 3rd victory in Bahrain and 44th of his career. Sebastian Vettel belongs to Germany.




Important Takeaways from above GK Update are as follows

• SBI surpass ONGC to become most valued PSU 
• SBI headquarter is in Mumbai and it was founded in 1955
• ONGC headquarter is in Uttarakhand and it was formed in 1956
• SBI slogan is The Banker to Every Indian
• SBI chairman is Arundhati Bhattacharya 
• ONGC chairman is Dinesh K Sarraf
• BHEL and ISRO tie-up for lithium-ion batteries 
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd is a full form of BHEL
• Indian Space Research Organization is a full form of ISRO
• BHEL headquarter is in New Delhi and was founded in 1964
• CEO of BHEL is Atul Sobti
• ISRO was founded in 1969 and its Headquarter is in Bengaluru
• ISRO founder is Vikram Sarabhai and CEO is Aluru Seelin Kiran Kumar
• Gayatri Pullela wins twin crown at Pembangunan Jaya Raya Junior Grand Prix in Jakarta
• Samiya Farooqui was her doubles partner
• Gayatri Pullela is the daughter  of National Badminton coach Pullela Gopichand
• BHEL has successfully commissioned two units of 270 MW at Maharashtra
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd is a full form of BHEL
• BHEL headquarter is in New Delhi and was founded in 1964
• CEO of BHEL is Atul Sobti.
• 16th Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has won Time magazine's readers' poll of the 100 most influential people in the world
• PM Modi had been named among the probable contenders for the annual list of the most influential people in the world. 
• Philippine Capital is Manila and Currency is Philippine Peso
• Sebastian Vettel wins Bahrain Grand Prix 2017
• He defeated Lewis Hamilton
• Sebastian Vettel belongs to Germany
• Bahrain is an Arabian country with its capital in Manama.
• India's First Train With Glass Ceiling, LED Lights And Rotable Seats in 'Vistadome' Coaches has been launched by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu
• The train is running between Visakhapatnam and Araku 
• Inaugurated the Life Line Express at Sindhudurg, Maharashtra.
• The International Day for Monuments and Sites is celebrated on 18th April
• The day is celebrated by ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites)
• The theme for 2017 is “Cultural Heritage & Sustainable Tourism”
• Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched three new products for its customers viz.  automated electronic toll collection,  a credit card mobile App, a Roof Solar Power Project.
• PNB CEO is Usha Ananthasubramanian
• PNB Headquarter is in New Delhi and was founded on 12th April 1895.
• PM Modi inaugurated phase-I of the Link-II pipeline canal of SAUNI Yojana
• Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation is full form of SAUNI

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Daily GK Update 16-17th April, 2017

PM Modi on 2-day visit to Gujarat- Day 1

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on the 2-Day visit to Gujarat. He launched various projects and schemes during his visit on the first day. The two main actions of the day one were-

1. Inauguration of the Kiran Multi-Speciality Hospital and Diamond Manufacturing Unit in Surat

2. Inauguration of Cattle Feed Plant and launch of irrigation and water supply schemes at Bajipura, Gujarat- PM inaugurated the SUMUL (the Surat District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited) cattle feed plant at Bajipura in southern Gujarat. He also laid the Foundation Stone for three Lift Irrigation Schemes and inaugurated the Drinking Water Supply Scheme for Vyara Town and Jesinhpur-Dolvan Groups of Tapi district.

Nepal President to arrive in India on five-day visit

i. Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari is arriving in New Delhi on a five-day visit to India. 
ii. This will be Bhandari's first foreign trip after assuming the office in October 2015, following the promulgation of the new Constitution in Nepal. A high-level delegation comprising several ministers and MPs accompanying her.

Manipur CM launched DARPAN web applications to check corruption

i. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh launched two web applications to check corruption and keep track of government activities. 
ii. The two web applications were Anti-Corruption Cell and Digital Application for Review by Public And Nation (DARPAN). The two web applications would monitor all government funded projects and ensure transparency and accountability.

Maharashtra, the first state to stage special drive for transgenders to register as voters

i. Maharashtra has become the first state to launch a special awareness drive to ensure that transgenders in the state register as voters in greater numbers. 
ii. The state branch of the Election Commission of India (ECI)  launched the drive on April 15, celebrated as Third Gender Day. According to ECI officials, despite the approximate population of third genders in Maharashtra being pegged at more than 10 lakh, only about 1,700 are registered voters.

 Finance Ministry approves 8.65% interest rate on EPF
i. The Finance Ministry have permitted the Labour Ministry to go ahead with 8.65% rate of interest on Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) for 2016-17, which will benefit over four crores EPFO members. 




Prakash Javadekar launched RUSA Portal, Mobile App

i. Human Resource and Development Minister Prakash Javadekar launched the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) portal and mobile app in New Delhi. 
ii. The portal is one-stop for States’ Higher Education Plans, the decision of the States’ Higher Education Councils and details of the resources. The mobile application will ensure that all projects under RUSA are tracked for 24x7.

Bhopal to have India's first privately run railway station

i. For the first time in Indian Railway history Habibganj station in Bhopal has been handed over to the private firm to be operated by it. 
ii. The station building will be developed in line with airport terminals. However, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu clarified that trains at the station will still be run by the Railways.


Over 50 Indians in Forbes’ under 30 list of super achievers
i. Over 50 Indians, including gymnast Dipa Karmakar, Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik and actress Alia Bhatt, are among Forbes’ list of super achievers from Asia under the age of 30 who are “pushing boundaries of innovation“. 
ii. The second Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ Asia list 2017 features 300 impressive young entrepreneurs 30 in 10 categories, including entertainment, finance and venture capital, retail, social entrepreneurs and enterprise technology, under the age of 30 years.  
iii. The youngest Indians on the list are brothers Sanjay, 15, and Shravan Kumaran, 17, who founded GoDimensions, a mobile app developer five years ago.

India’s economy will grow by 7.2% in 2017-18, predicts World Bank

i. India’s gross domestic product is expected to spike to 7.2% in the 2017-18 financial year from 6.8% the previous fiscal, according to a new World Bank report titled “Globalization Backlash”. 
ii. The international agency forecast that India’s economic growth will rise gradually to 7.7% in 2019-’20, underpinned by a recovery in private investments.

Hanchinal receives M.S. Swaminathan Award

i. The sixth prestigious M.S. Swaminathan Award for contribution in the field of agriculture given to R.R. Hanchinal, Chairperson of Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority, the government of India. 
ii. He received the award for his contributions and sustained support to the areas of crop improvement for hot and very hot dry environments, seed production technology and intellectual protection rights in plant varieties.

Indian engineer Trupti Jain wins ‘Cartier Women’s Initiative award’
i. An Indian environmental engineer Trupti Jain has won 2017 prestigious ‘Cartier Women’s Initiative Award’ for providing women working on farms with water management solutions and protecting small farmers against droughts and flash flood. ii. She, was one among the six winners chosen for the Asia-Pacific laureate from a pool of nearly 1,900 applicants from over 120 countries and were selected by an independent international jury.

BRICS envoys on Middle East meet in India 

i. Special Envoys of five BRICS member states who specialises on West Asian Affairs held a quiet meeting in Vishakhapatnam to assess current situation in the volatile region after use of chemical weapons in Syria and US retaliatory strike on the Syrian air base. 
ii. This was the first meeting of the BRICS special envoys on the Middle East held in India and gained significance following growing instability in West Asia and North Africa. 

Google launches Areo app

i. Google has launched a new food delivery and home services aggregator called Areo for the Indian market. The app is available as a free download on the Google Play store and is currently operational in Bengaluru and Mumbai.

World's oldest person Emma Morano dies aged 117

i. Emma Morano, an Italian woman believed to have been the oldest person alive and the last survivor of the 19th century died at the age of 117. Morano, born on November 29, 1899, died at her home in Verbania, northern Italy.

Arjun Gaind launches his book on Punjab

i. Author Arjun Gaind launched his latest book, 'Punjab: Building the Land Of Five Rivers' in Mumbai. A panel discussion was organised on the occasion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in which Punjab’s history, heritage, culture and growth were discussed. 

Sai Praneeth wins Singapore open Badminton

i. Sai Praneeth has won the title match of Men's singles at Singapore Open Badminton beating his compatriot Kidambi Srikanth.  
ii. This was the first time that two Indians featured in a men’s singles Superseries final and India became only the fourth country to have both players in a Super series final. The other three are China, Denmark and Indonesia.

Pankaj Advani won his sixth Asian Billiards title
i. Sixteen-time world champion Pankaj Advani has won his sixth Asian Billiards title and seventh overall Asian championship. 
ii. The ace cueist defeated his compatriot Sourav Kothari 6-3 in an entertaining final of the Asian Billiards Championship in Chandigarh. 


Important Takeaways from above GK Update are as follows

• PM Modi is on 2-day visit to Gujarat
• Inaugurated the Kiran Multi-Speciality Hospital and Diamond Manufacturing Unit in Surat
• Inaugurated SUMUL, Cattle Feed Plant and launched irrigation and water supply schemes at Bajipura, Gujarat
• R.R. Hanchinal accloaded by M.S. Swaminathan Award
• He received the award for his contributions and sustained support to the areas of crop improvement
• The award is in a name of M S Swaminathan, who was an Indian geneticist and international administrator.
• Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh launched two web applications Anti-Corruption Cell and DARPAN to check corruption and keep track of government activities
• Digital Application for Review by Public And Nation  is the full form of DARPAN
• Maharashtra becomes the first state to launch a special drive for transgenders to register as voters
• CM of Maharashtra is Devendra Fadnavis and governor of Maharashtra is C Vidyasagar Rao.
• Trupti Jain  has won 2017 'Cartier Women’s Initiative Award'
• The Cartier Awards are an international business competition that aims to encourage women entrepreneurs to solve contemporary global challenges.
• Habibganj station in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) has been handed over to a private firm to be operated by it
• Railway Minister of India is Suresh Prabhu
• Over 50 Indians in Forbes’ under 30 list of super achievers in Asia including gymnast Dipa Karmakar, Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik and actress Alia Bhatt
• India has 53 achievers on the list, second only to China which has 76 honorees
• The youngest Indians on the list are brothers Sanjay, 15, and Shravan Kumaran, 17, who founded GoDimensions, a mobile app developer five years ago
• B. C. Forbes is the founder of Forbes
• Finance Ministry approved 8.65% interest rate on EPF
• Employees Provident Fund Organization is full form of EPFO
• Arun Jaitley is the Finance Minister of India
• Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFO) of EPFO is D.R. V.P. Joy
• EPFO head office is in New Delhi.
• India’s economy will grow by 7.2% in 2017-18, predicts World Bank
• The World Bank report titled “Globalization Backlash”
• The president of the World Bank is Jim Yong Kim and it is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States.
• Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari is arriving in India (New Delhi) on a five-day visit
• Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and currency is Nepalese Rupee
• Prime Minister of Nepal is Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
• Human Resource and Development Minister Prakash Javadekar launched the RUSA portal
• RUSA full form is Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan
• Sai Praneeth has won the title match of Men's singles at Singapore Open Badminton.
• Sai Praneeth has defeated his compatriot Kidambi Srikanth.
• Praneeth is a male Indian badminton player.
• World's oldest person Emma Morano dies aged 117.
• Emma Morano was an Italian woman.
• Morano was born on November 29, 1899. 
• Pankaj Advani won his sixth Asian Billiards title.
• At the tender age of 18, Pankaj won his first World Title in 2003.
• He is the only person in the history of the game to have won both the billiards and snooker IBSF World Titles as well as the World Professional Billiards Championship.
• His excellence in the sport has also earned him the highest sporting honor - Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2006.
• Pankaj Advani Born in Pune on 24 July 1985.
• Advani won his sixth Asian Billiards title and seventh overall Asian championship. 

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Daily GK Update 15th April, 2017

PM launches GNFC’s cashless/less cash township model across 12 States

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched in Nagpur, a cashless/less cash township model, developed by Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd (GNFC), across 81 townships in 12 States. 
ii. These townships will deliver 2.5 lakh cashless transactions per day, translating into 9 crore cashless transactions in a year. 
iii. GNFC’s township at Bharuch in Gujarat became India’s first cashless township after demonetization.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana tops target for 2016-17

i. Loans extended under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) during 2016-17 have crossed the target of Rs 1,80,000 crore for 2016-17.

ii. The Union Budget has announced a target of Rs. 2.44 lakh crore for Mudra Loans during 2017-18. There would be a special focus within the Mudra Scheme on convergence with other government schemes, deepening connect with borrowers and meeting credit requirements of trainees completing skilling course

UP govt, Centre sign MoU for 'Power for All' scheme

i. Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre have signed an MoU for the 'Power for All' scheme in the state.  
ii. The aim of this scheme is to ensure 24-hour quality power supply in the state by October 2018 and electric connection to every house and agriculture field by 2019.   
iii. The project will cost above rupees 40 thousand crore out of which 20 thousand crore will be spent till 2018.

RBI issues new framework for bad loans

i. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a new set of enabling provisions titled 'Revised Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework' to resolve the problem of banks mounting non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans. 
ii. The new set of provisions, effective from April 1, 2017 override the existing PCA framework and are based on the financials of each bank as of March 2017. 
iii. Under the revised framework, if a bank crosses the third level of risk threshold (where a bank’s common equity tier I capital falls below the threshold of 3.625 per cent by 3.125 per cent, or more) it will either be amalgamated or merged, or taken over by another entity.

Income Tax department launches 'Operation Clean Money-II'

i. The Income Tax department has launched the second phase of the ‘Operation Clean Money’ to investigate over 60,000 individuals with an aim to detect black money generation post demonetisation. 
ii. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the policy-making body of the income tax department has detected the flow of black money into the banks amounting to over Rs 9,334 crore between November 9, 2016 and February 28, 2017. 


PM Modi inaugurates new units in Koradi thermal power station

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated 1980 MW of the Koradi super-critical thermal power project of state-run Mahagenco near Nagpur in Maharashtra to the nation. 
ii. The 1,980 MW capacity includes three units of 660 MW each. The plant currently has one unit of 200 MW, two units of 210 MW each and with the addition of the three units of 660 MW each, its total capacity has increased to 2,600 MW.

Nepal, China hold first ever military exercise

i. Nepal and China will hold the first-ever joint military exercise named ‘Sagarmatha Friendship-2017’ from 17 April 2017 with a special focus on combating terror and disaster management. 
ii. Sagarmatha is the Nepali name of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, that is bordering between Nepal and China. 

Former J&K Governor Girish Saxena dies

i. Former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Girish Chandra Saxena has passed away at the age of 90. 
ii. Saxena was an Indian Police Service officer of the 1950 batch from the Uttar Pradesh cadre. 
iii. He served two terms as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir. He also served as the head of Research and Analysis Wing from 1983 to 1986.

Important Takeaways from above GK Update are as follows

• UP and Centre have signed an MoU for the 'Power for All' scheme in the state
• CM of Uttar Pradesh is Yogi Adityanath
• Governor of UP is Shri Ram Naik
• PM Narendra Modi launched in Nagpur a cashless/less cash township model
• Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd is full form of GNFC
• GNFC’s township at Bharuch in Gujarat became India’s first cashless township
• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana tops target for 2016-17, loans cross target of Rs 1.8 lakh crore
• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was launched on 8th April 2015 by PM Narendra Modi
• IT department has launched 'Operation Clean Money-II'
• Operation Clean Money is launched with an aim to detect black money 
• The first phase of ‘Operation Clean Money’ was launched on January 31, 2017
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is the policy-making body of the income tax department
• RBI issued new framework for bad loans named as 'Revised Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework'
• The head office of RBI is in Mumbai and was formed in 1 April 1935
• Urjit Patel is the 24th governor of RBI
• B P Kanungo is the newly appointed Deputy governor of RBI.
• Nepal and China will hold the first-ever joint military exercise named ‘Sagarmatha Friendship-2017’ 
• Sagarmatha is the Nepali name of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak
• Nepal capital is Kathmandu and currency is Nepalese Rupee
• China capital is Beijing and currency is Renminbi/Yuan.
• PM Modi inaugurated new units of 1980 MW  in Koradi thermal power station
• Koradi is located near Nagpur, Maharashtra
• CM of Maharashtra is Devendra Fadnavis and Governor is C. Vidyasagar Rao.
• Former J&K governor Girish Chandra Saxena has passed away
• He served two terms as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir
• He also as an advisor to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

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